Callous vandals destroy kids’ nature garden

Devastated children have been left counting the cost of mindless vandalism after their cherished nature garden was reduced to rubble. Concrete seating in a corner of the little park at Harpur Mount Primary School in Harpurhey was smashed to pieces by hooligans armed with a sledgehammer.

Concrete seating in a corner of the little park at Harpur Mount Primary School in Harpurhey was smashed to pieces by hooligans armed with a sledgehammer.

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

Devastated children have been left counting the cost of mindless vandalism after their cherished nature garden was reduced to rubble.

Concrete seating in a corner of the little park at Harpur Mount Primary School in Harpurhey was smashed to pieces by hooligans armed with a sledgehammer. Wooden fencing was ripped out and wire meshing bent over.

The culprits even tore out the trees planted by some of the school's 365 pupils.

Head Toni Jackson said:"Our nature area was completely wrecked in what looked like a frenzied assault on a place that pupils used to sit in when they wanted some peace and quiet.

"It is now out of bounds and the gardening club has had to cease. The children and parents are devastated. It was a dreadful shock coming into school to find it."

She added: "We have found syringes and drugs paraphernalia in the garden before. There was evidence of drugs again which is unpleasant for young children to see."

Ms Jackson said a staff meeting at the Alfred Street school was disrupted last week when the fire brigade was called after they saw smoke billowing from the boundary fence where a bonfire was made from bracken.

She said: "All this is very distressing. We are working with the local police who have been very supportive."

The Co-op in Moston, who helped finance the garden alongside school fundraising, and the local community are now rallying to raise enough money for repairs.

A Co-op spokesman said: "We are wholly committed to this project along with the rest of the community. It is very disappointing and upsetting to hear about this vandalism."

PC Bob Murphy, who was involved in the building of the garden along with the local PCSO - a landscape gardener - said: "We will do everything in our power to prevent vandalism like this. It has upset everyone.

"We are investigating this crime and are still hunting the culprits.

"The garden will be rebuilt and we know we will get the usual support from the community. Cameras would be a good idea, but they are expensive."